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Martians
MARTIANS Martians, or Areans as some call themselves in deference to the Greek Ares, are a genetically modified offshoot of humanity (Linnaean classification Homo sapiens martius), adapted to suit the climate and terrain of Mars. History After the initial colonization of Mars, colonists backed by the Earth government began terraforming efforts to increase atmospheric pressure, temperature, and precipitation to more sustainable levels, for eventual open-air agriculture for transplanted flora and fauna. Initial conversion of Mars by bombardment with ice asteroids and other methods resulted in a very thin atmosphere, but terraforming is ongoing and as-yet incomplete; official estimates to completion vary between several decades and several centuries, especially with unavoidable challenges such as the lighter gravity (~0.3 G compared to Earth's 1.0 G) and geologically inert core of the planet, with consequent difficulties in maintaining a stable atmosphere. Early colonists constantly wore self-contained breathing apparatus, respirators, and even pressure suits in very high elevations such as Olympus, Pavonis, or Elysium. In an attempt to bridge the gap between the more vulnerable baseline humanity and the distantly suitably terraformed world, volunteer colonists were given gene therapy to modify their gonadal DNA, so that their offspring would be more able to handle the changing Martian environment without having to constantly rely on external equipment. As luck would have it, with a few hitches along the way, efforts at genemod human reproduction were successful, and the new generation of the humanoid subspecies—dubbed martius ''after the Latin possessive 'of Mars'—proved capable of taking on the slowly-changing Martian environment with much more ease than baseline humans. 'Physiology' As the majority of their genetic profile is close to that of ''Homo sapiens sapiens, Martians closely resemble humans, with some exceptions: Mars' greater distance from Sol, compared to Earth, means a dimmer solar output, including the UVB radiation that aids in absorption of calcium and vitamin D synthesis in the majority of Earth animal organisms, including humans; unfortunately, the thin atmosphere also means that Martians are more susceptible to cosmic radiation events, and solar weather. The genetic tinkering that gave rise to H. s. martius included research into altering melanin production and, consequently, a range of Martian skin types exist with various advantages and drawbacks. Lighter skinned Martians, mostly those of a Caucasian heritage, are nearly albino, allowing for greater UVB absorption and stronger bone density; excessive sunlight exposure, however, especially on Earth, or any closer worlds or habitats, can rapidly raise the risk of sunburn or certain cancers. Meanwhile, Martians of color look almost iconic, with skin tones from burnished bronze to midnight black; increased brown and black eumelanin content affords greater resistance to radiation damage and a tailored autoimmune response aggressively suppresses melanoma formation, but have a lowered vitamin D / calcium metabolic profile in comparison. On occasion, especially with inter-ethnic couplings, Martian offspring develop visible melanin deposition (or, paradoxically in dark-skinned Martians, unusual lack thereof) along the Blaschko's Lines on their bodies. This patterning can resemble anything from a light stippling to a solidity nearly like that of tigers' stripes. Pale Martians with red and black markings, black Martians with olive-tinted, pale brown, or even white stripings, and anything in between have all been documented. Regardless of whether they exhibit the more unusual phenotypes, mixed-ethnicity Martians' resistance to cancers or vitamin-D/calcium metabolic profile can be a roll of the genetic dice like any other traits. As a secondary effect, Martians universally exhibit increased pheomelanin production. No matter a Martian's skin color, they all share eye colors in varying tones of red, ranging from fiery amber to brilliant crimson to burnt umber. Dimmer light due to the more distant sun from Mars also means that the modified colonists' offspring were in need of a greater density of rod cells in their eyes, to see better in the lower light. However, Martian sight is also slightly more desaturated in color perception than baseline humans' and, while their night vision is excellent, bright lights can more easily overwhelm or blind them. The lighter Martian gravity is less demanding than Earth standard; as such, baseline humans suffer slow bone density loss and demineralization. Genetically modified Martian offspring do have a lighter bone structure, with a certain amount of dense cartilage replacing bone development to counter mineral loss while providing resilience and structure. The resultant modification (along with the improved solar Vitamin D synthesis) means that most Martians tend toward slighter or more elegant builds, with a little less strength, but more agility and flexibility, than humans, though there are some notable cases of more 'built' Martians. Thinner atmospheric density also means that sounds and smells carry less easily in the Martian air. Minor modifications to Martian auditory and olfactory senses allow for enhanced hearing and smell to roughly that of baseline human senses on Earth. On Earth, Martian hearing is thus much more sensitive; however, strong smells or loud sounds can be more disorienting or painful for Martians. With current Martian atmosphere as thick as that found atop the highest mountain peaks on Earth at best, an unaided human gradually can develop hypoxia. Martians have an improved respiratory system with alterations including a denser collection of alveoli in the lungs, pulmonary structures that extend slightly further down inside the ribcage (in some cases, this and other modifications result in the prototypical tall, thin Martian "look"), and a greater amount of red blood cells in their circulatory system. Overexposure to a 'thicker' atmosphere, however, can raise the risks of hyperoxia and subsequent health issues. As an aside, Martian exposure to the Earth plant known as "Cannabis," "Marijuana," or "Dreamleaf," may have a much more potent effect if inhaled, especially due to their efficient respiration, various other genetic traits, and subtle physiological and neurological differences from baseline humans. Exposure could be theoretically determined by the potency of the plant, and its 'sativa,' 'indica,' or hybrid strain traits. However, the plant is notoriously hard to grow on Mars, nearly impossibly so, in part due to the thin and cold atmosphere and poor soil—and besides which, crops are often a higher priority. Rumour has it, though, that some small clans in distant corners of the Arean hinterlands do raise this illicit (and to the Earth government, highly illegal, and reputedly deadly) herb for their own, possibly nefarious, purposes . . . Sociology Much of Martian society is informed by their human cultural backgrounds contributed by the original human colonists, but several notable differences have arisen as a result of the unique challenges afforded by the environment of Mars and their own genetic modifications. Martian names are either simplistic, to represent an attempt at creating a culture that is new and all their own, or drawn from the areography of their world, or the romantic pop culture of space and Martian exploration that suffused humanity in the 19th century and beyond. Names range from the neologic (such as "Keen"), to the fanciful ("Syrtius"), to the smart-assed ("Phobia"), to the downright referential ("John-Carter"). Martian societal groups begin at the clan level, with each clan named after important Mars missions, probes, and landings, such as "Mariner", "Sojourner", "Spirit", and "Mangalyaan". Clans contain several families, and many Martians prefer to be identified by their clan to outsiders (i.e. "Dodd of Clan Sojourner" or simply "Dodd Sojourner"), preferring to keep their family name semi-private, as a separate identifier to other Martians in most cases. Each Martian group draws its personal heritages from the human families or parents that contributed to the genetic modifications and reproduction; thus, Martian culture tends toward tight-knight behavior. Occasional intermarriages between clans are undertaken, in order to maintain genetic stability and continue to expand the gene pool and Martian populace in general. While the original families drew their surnames from their Terran parentage, the interbreeding and founding of new families has called for the creation or adoption of new surnames, similar to the methods employed in personal names: Neologic (Combining prior family names such as "White" and "Patel" into "Whatel"), fanciful ("Noctis" or "Labyrins"), or smart-assed ("Valentine" or "Smith" meet mixed reception even among Martians), and referential ("Bradbury," "Clarke," or "Asimov"). Some human anthropologists do theorize that, as the Martian population expands to cover their world and such approaches to genetic stability are not necessary, the use of clan identifiers may eventually fall out of popularity in exchange for family surnames. Many Martians, however, vociferously prefer to preserve their cultural structure. The moon may be a harsh mistress, but Mars is not a place to raise your kids; in fact, it's cold as Hell. The many years of terraforming have rendered liquid water across the planet along with a thin atmosphere, but the polar ice caps are still a dominant feature, and the northern seas become extremely chilled and plenty of crater lakes freeze over each Martian winter. The closest comparisons to Earth are the Andean altiplano, the high Himalayas, the northern reaches of Taklamakan in China, the Alaskan or Canadian tundra, the Hawai'ian volcano peaks, and other similar places where the first colonists trained before leaving Earth. The Martian environment does not tolerate mistakes well; as such, Martians are used to a challenging, sometimes hardscrabble lifestyle. Humor on Mars tends toward the grim and snarky, though there are some occasional examples of incredible levity, especially in professional entertainment or in clan gatherings and celebrations. A Martian in his or her cups (or otherwise inebriated) can be a highly unstable sight. Fashion Martian fashion tends to come in layers, to accommodate the need for warmth and insulation (though some Martians revel in the frosty environment; some have even developed the Arean equivalent of Polar Bear Clubs). The enhanced night vision and related lighter color sense in Martian eyes means that their choice of coloration tends toward the bold and striking. Human standard colors often appear pastel to Martian sight, and human pastels are washed out. Color in Martian artwork is often garish to human tastes, or monochromatic, especially in sculpture; the bold color palettes of a painted Martian statuary can almost resemble ancient Greek or Roman design (as those old marble structures were often painted over with bright colors). Reds, oranges, yellows, and monochromes feature strongly to match the landscape—jokingly referred to as "Mars tones" in reference to the greens and browns of "Earth tones"). Accessories such as parasols, sunglasses, or glacier goggles are not uncommon in Martian culture, to help avoid sunburn or temporary blindness from bright sunlight, especially if any of them visit Earth. Occasional members of Arean society also affect masks or scarves, either to guard against the occasional fierce dust storms that still blow up, or with modifications to reduce the risk of hyperoxia in Terran environments. Arts & Culture The performing arts on Mars varies from clan to clan, but often has an undercurrent of the snark and dry wit that permeates Arean behavior in general. Humor is either subtle, leading to some brief bursts of hilarity, or incisive. Humans often see Martian humor as based in utility, and sometimes abrasive even when sharp or witty, leading to the commentary of "bread-knife wit." Sentiment still runs strongly, though not openly, leading to some surprising subtle emotional depth, especially in performances or songs. Martian music is often electronic in nature, as the original colonists did not have much space for amenities such as large complex physical instruments, but there is a strong cultural tendency toward percussion instruments, as those are the easiest to recreate. Some efforts have been made to reproduce larger instruments, although several Arean musicians and composers have taken up instruments that combine multiple original human ones, such as the Eigenharp or the Yaybahar. Cuisine Cuisine can vary between the simplistic (to match the stark landscape) to the fanciful. Produce is often based in cold-tolerant or cold-loving species typical grown for fall or winter on Earth, including squashes, pumpkins, root and tuber vegetables, and others. Occasional genemod crops do pop up as delicacies, though, especially iron-loving plants such as cranberries, blueberries, and citrus. Tropical plants and fruits are almost unheard of, and are highly sought-after, especially for the incredible bursts of flavor perceived by the Martian palate due to their enhanced olfactory senses. Genemod animals raised for meat and other products include cattle (with strong oxen or bison genetic traits) and cervids (including deer and elk; also used by some as mounts or dray animals). Complex, subtle, rich flavors are often developed more through careful cooking processes (such as the Maillard reaction found by browning steaks or butter or caramelizing sugars), though some other flavoring agents are used. Many spices are considered a luxury or a trade good, especially as many (including peppers, nutmegs, and cinnamon) require a tropical or subtropical environment in which to flourish. Some clans specialize in the growth of spices, tropical fruits, and peppers for trade (along with . . . other plants . . . that require a similar environment) by means of large, insulated greenhouse structures; however, the expenditure of water, nutrients, and energy can be costly or draw attention.